ODE News Assessment Development

Smarter Balanced Field Test: Districts Encouraged to Participate

Fri, 4 Oct 2013 17:19:00 GMT

In the spring (mid-March to early June) of 2014, Smarter Balanced will conduct the Field Test of its innovative next-generation assessments. Schools in Oregon have the opportunity to participate in and experience an assessment that is closely aligned with the content, configuration, and length of the planned 2015 operational assessments.

Districts are strongly encouraged to volunteer for the Smarter Balanced Field Test (SBFT). Under current circumstances, Oregon districts that volunteer and are selected to participate in the SBFT must use the traditional model and double test those students taking the SBFT on OAKS. If a pending recommendation is approved by the State Board of Education (SBE) and USED approves Oregon's waiver request, districts might receive flexibility to either choose to administer the OAKS assessment to students participating in the SBFT or they could choose to exclude those students tested on the SBFT from taking OAKS. However, if the SBE disagrees with ...MORE

Smarter Balanced Adopts Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines

Thu, 19 Sep 2013 15:57:00 GMT

The Governing States of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced) voted to approve the Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines in advance of a large-scale Field Test of the assessment system in early 2014. The unanimous decision by the Consortium's Governing States represents an important milestone toward implementing assessments aligned to the Common Core State Standards in the 2014-15 school year.

Developed in collaboration with member states and nationally recognized experts, the Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines will shape the delivery of online testing for all students, including those with visual, auditory, linguistic, or physical needs. The research-based policy outlines three categories of resources to ensure that the assessments meet the needs of all students. The categories further distinguish between embedded tools included in the testing platform and non-embedded tools.

A set of ...MORE

Smarter Balanced Launches Webpage to Reach Broader Audience

Thu, 19 Sep 2013 15:53:00 GMT

The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced) recently launched a Spanish webpage with downloadable factsheets for teachers, parents, and students. The webpage provides information on the assessment system and the Consortium's work to meet the needs of all students, including English language learners (ELLs). The webpage for Spanish speakers can be accessed from the Smarter Balanced website at: http://www.smarterbalanced.org/parents-students/como-ayudar-a-todos-los-estudiantes-a-que-tengan-exito/.

Smarter Balanced Field Test: Participation Opportunities for Schools and Districts

Thu, 19 Sep 2013 15:39:00 GMT

In the spring (mid-March to early June) of 2014, Smarter Balanced will conduct the Field Test of its innovative next-generation assessments. Schools in Oregon have the opportunity to participate in and experience an assessment that is closely aligned with the content, configuration, and length of the planned 2015 operational assessments. Additional information about the Smarter Balanced Field Test can be accessed at http://www.ode.state.or.us/wma/teachlearn/commoncore/smarter-balanced_fieldtest.pdf .

To submit your interest in participating in the 2014 Smarter Balanced Field Test, click on this link: http://www.formstack.com/forms/fieldtest-recruitment.

Please submit your interest by October 15, 2013.

2013-14 Secure Browsers and Practice Tests Now Available

Thu, 29 Aug 2013 00:32:00 GMT

Following extensive internal and external quality control testing in partnership with school districts around Oregon, ODE and AIR have confirmed that all issues with the Java-free secure browsers have been successfully resolved. The following applications of the OAKS Online System are now available for districts through the OAKS Portal:

The Secure Browsers for supported Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems used to administer Oregon's OAKS Online, ELPA, and Online Writing assessments are available for download and installation.

The apps used to administer OAKS Online on iPad and Android tablets are available for download and installation. (Schools that plan to test students using Chromebooks will be able to request Chromebook accounts in TIDE when TIDE opens for the 2013-2014 academic year on October 1.)

The Training Site, including the OAKS Online, ELPA, and Online Writing Practice tests, are availa ...MORE

2013-14 Secure Browser, Practice Tests, and Training Site

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 17:08:00 GMT

On Thursday, August 8, 2013, ODE communicated a delay in the release of the 2013-2014 Secure Browsers used to administer Oregon's OAKS Online, ELPA, and Online Writing assessments because of issues related to supporting Java-free recording for ELPA. Oregon's test vendor, the American Institutes for Research (AIR), has continued troubleshooting the remaining issues over the weekend. While AIR has made progress in diagnosing the cause of the issues and testing solutions, we still do not have a firm estimate on when the 2013-14 Secure Browsers will be ready to release.

Once all remaining issues have been resolved and undergone thorough quality control testing, we will communicate a firm date for releasing the Secure Browsers and the Practice Tests and Training Site. ODE and AIR apologize for the continued delay and thank you for your patience.

Information for the Smarter Balanced Field Test

Thu, 8 Aug 2013 19:02:00 GMT

Testing Window:

The Smarter Balanced Field Test is scheduled to be administered

March 18 - June 6, 2014.

Smarter Balanced Practice Test and Scoring Guides

Wed, 31 Jul 2013 16:45:00 GMT

Teachers, parents, and students across the country can now access online practice tests aligned to the Common Core State Standards. Smarter Balanced released sets of example test questions for grades 3-8 and 11 in both English language arts/literacy and mathematics. The Practice Tests will help schools prepare for the implementation of the Smarter Balanced assessment system in the 2014-15 school year.

The Practice Tests provide a preview of the types of questions that will be featured in the summative assessment beginning in 2014-15, including selected-response items, constructed-response items, technology-enhanced items, and performance tasks - extended activities that challenge students to apply their knowledge and skills to respond to real-world problems. Scoring Guides for each of the fixed-form assessments have also been released and posted to assist stakeholders with understanding how items are evaluated: http://s ...MORE

Secure Browser Support Plan for 2013-14 Now Available

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:35:00 GMT

The 2013-14 Secure Browser Support Plan is now available on the OAKS Portal. This Secure Browser Support Plan establishes clear guidance to provide consistency and allow districts to anticipate which operating systems (OS) AIR’s secure browsers will support. This document is to help schools and districts manage support requirements and allow for both product and information technology planning in organizations based on knowledge of the support timelines. This plan also helps leverage advantages that are available through emerging technologies which are otherwise not possible, while also continuing to support legacy platforms. The support statuses included in this plan are consistent with the anticipated statuses communicated in the 2012-2013 plan.

Please note that, new for 2013-14, OAKS testing will be supported on netbooks and tablets. However, support for these devices will be limited, and will not include ...MORE

Smarter Balanced Releases Online Practice Tests

Wed, 29 May 2013 17:17:00 GMT

Examples provide early look at next-generation assessments aligned to the Common Core

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- May 29, 2013 -- Teachers, parents, and students across the country can now access online practice tests aligned to the Common Core State Standards. The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced) today released sets of example test questions for grades 3-8 and 11 in both English language arts/literacy and mathematics. The Practice Tests will help schools prepare for the implementation of the Smarter Balanced Assessment System in the 2014-15 school year.

“The release of online Practice Tests reflects the tremendous progress of the state-led effort to develop next-generation assessments,” said Joe Willhoft, Ph.D., executive direct ...MORE